Any opticians about? Sudden and intermittent decline in vision

[SoftPillow]

I wondered if anyone else has experienced this?

I’m a fairly short sighted glasses and contact lenses wearer (-5.25) I had an eye test a few weeks ago and was given a new prescription. I got new glasses, they worked well.

This last week I’ve noticed I have really poor vision with glasses mostly, but it’s intermittent. It’s happened perhaps 4-5 times in a week. Sometimes I can see normally, other times I can’t see very much at all, eg the tv, it’s all a blur, I can’t see anything clearly beyond 1.5m. High contrast items seem to be worse.

Today my vision has rapidly declined, going from normal this morning to really dreadful now. I wouldn’t drive now, there are two white lines and multiples of each car headlight. Number plates are impossible to see.

It is much more noticeable with glasses than contacts.

No headaches or flashing lights. I did wonder about blood pressure issues causing this? Eye stain? Dry eye? I have another opticians appointment tomorrow. Any advice in the meantime?

I’m not an optician but I would go to A&E now.

Go to Optician or Eye Hospital if you have one. Issues with sight can be the signs of something more serious.

Please go to a&e! That sounds awful or at least see someone straight away

And what time is your Optician’s appointment? Our local Emergency Eye clinic is only open till noon at the weekend so a later Optician’s appointment might mean you’ll just be in general A&E tomorrow anyway.

The opticians is at 3pm tomorrow.

I would go to A&E if it couldn’t see, or it was continuous, but it’s on and off. Eg fine this morning, poor at lunchtime, better for 15 mins and now bad again. So strange. I’ve tried extra eye drops in case of dry eye.

Our local A&E is small and doesn’t have an emergency eye clinic. I really don’t think this is an A&E scenario is it?

Yes.

Go to a&e, or at least call 111; with some vision things you have a window to act

Rapid decline in vision is an A&E matter, and they’ll transfer you if you need a specialist. If you look at something with a grid of straight lines, are the lines broken or wavy? That could be a symptom of a detached retina which needs fixing quick sharp.

I have various eye problems and one day one eye just packed up for a hour or so. I called the hospital and they put me through to the eye department who weren’t worried but to come straight in if it happened again. But that was the middle of the day on a week day. I would be inclined to call the hospital personally, or 111. But I would head to A&E.

I would also go to A&E.

The guidance is always sudden loss of vision then you must go straight to A&E.

I too would go to A&E with this, or at least 111 (and I usually think people go much too easily). Don't mess with your sight.

Another shout for a and e asap

Definitely A&E today.

It is either an optic problem or a neurological problem, both of which could be serious.

It could also be some kind of migraine based visual aura, but you need to find out one way or the other.

OP, I have a similar prescription to you (-5.25 in one eye and -6.00 in the other).

I had similar problems a few years ago - intermittent loss/worsening of vision over a few days. Then one morning I woke up with an enormous black spot in my vision. It was terrifying. After a few hours in hospital it turns out I have something called choroid neovascularisation - basically new blood vessels growing where they shouldn't, and then leaking blood and fluid into the eyes (at least that's how it was explained to me). It is largely treatable if it's picked up and dealt with quickly, but it's not something you'd want to ignore.

Anyway I have no idea whatsoever if that's what you have, but I really would urge you to go to hospital now. You won't be wasting anyone's time, but as PPs have said there is sometimes a short window for dealing with vision-related problems.

The point OP is that neither you or any of us are qualified to make an informed diagnosis. Eye/sight issues are often a symptom of a neurological disorder…it certainly was for me.

A colleague had something similar and had a retinal haemorrhage. If she hadn’t acted in time she could have lost the vision completely as it is she had 6 months post op of rehabilitation

Call 111 and expect to go to A&E.

Go straight to A&E (don't drive yourself)
If you have no other way to get there call 111 or 999

Sudden deteriorating vision is a medical emergency even if its intermittent.
Putting it off could result in permanent blindness

Nearest eye casualty i think for you. Check their opening hours.

You need emergency care , time is of the essence with an eye problem, don't wait until tomorrow.

The optician will be a lot more help, even for other eye conditions. I had a serious but self limiting retina condition a few years ago and the GP said "I have no idea, book in with the opticians" and the optician had a good idea what it was and referred me to the eye clinic at the hospital.

Did you explain your symptoms to the opticians when you asked for an appointment? If so they must be happy it can wait until tomorrow. I've been bumped a couple of times from optician appointments because they need to fit someone in who has phoned in with worrying symptoms

Yes A&E. The opticians will likely send you there anyway tomorrow and if you go now you’ll be treated sooner if it’s anything serious.

Just in case you’re on weight loss drugs, this is a recognised side effect, so worth mentioning if you are.

It’s diplopia (double vision- seeing 2 versions of everything). I had this, took myself to the optician as advised by the GP and whilst I was being seen there, the GP, optician and neurology departments were in contact with each other and I was in the CT scanner within an hour.

Unfortunately this is something that needs to be taken seriously. I kept telling myself I was just tired and had been having too much caffeine.